Bend Yoga - Yoga for Men

Why don't more men do yoga?

When we think of yoga, the first image is of extremely supple individuals tying themselves in knots as they get into the lotus position, then doing a head stand, and finally relaxing by lying on a bed of nails!

Alternatively, the image is of a class full of middle aged women in 1970's style leotards in dusty church halls. Not surprisingly, this puts a lot of people off going to a yoga class, either on the basis that they ‘can't even touch their toes' or in the case of most men, because it can be rather off-putting being the only male in a class of thirty-odd women. (Yes the pun was intended).

As a male who has been practising yoga for over a decade now, most of the time I am fine about this, but I wanted to turn the tables and set up a class aimed at men - young, old, sporty and not so fit, to teach the benefits that yoga can offer.

Historically, Yoga has been practiced by both men and women for thousands of years. It is therefore an ancient practice, and its survival and global popularity to this day is proof that there are tangible benefits from practising yoga.

Yoga in the west has a focus on the physical postures known as Asana, and it is my aim during this 10 week course, to introduce a range of basic postures and sequences which are aimed at stretching and strengthening the physical body.

You will be surprised at how quickly yoga helps general fitness. It helps to improve bad posture which is brought about by being hunched up over a computer all day long; or bad backs which are often brought about by tight hamstrings and poorly developed muscles around the spine. It is not a quick fix, but by practising Yoga on a regular basis you will be surprised at the rate of improvement in your overall physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Following just two yoga sessions at a class I ran in 2009, a veteran Stockport rugby player found that his stiff back which he had had for years, brought about by the knocks and hard physical training eased off considerably, and so now yoga exercises form a routine part of his training.

Many professional sportsmen and women also use Yoga to complement their tough training schedules, the most famous being Ryan Giggs, David James and Andy Murray.

From the average man on the street, to athletes who are at the top of their game, yoga helps to improve physical strength and stamina as well as mental focus and balance.

A ten week course aimed at introducing yoga to men will be starting on Friday 10th September at 6:30pm at the Cenacle Treatment Centre, Stockport, I hope to see you there.

About David Glover:
David has been practising yoga for over a decade, and was originally introduced to yoga to help a niggling injury to his knee brought about by lots of road running, squash and tennis. David has a Foundation Course Diploma and is currently studying to be a qualified Yoga Instructor, from the British Wheel of Yoga. 

Associated blogs, podcasts and information 

 The history of yoga and its benefits

 Bend Yoga